Italia: Carmalized Butternut Squash Risotto

Risotto is the perfect dinner party treat. Cheap and easy to make, you can mix in whatever you have sitting around. Kristin and I originally planned on crafting squash ravioli; however, on a weeknight, we would have been rolling dough till the wee hours. If you have time for the full pasta production, amazing... if you don't, spend forty minutes stirring and baking to get an equally beautiful result!

RECIPE

serves 4-6 as main course and 6-8 as starter (you can adjust recipe measure according to your needs)

-Preheat oven to 400 F-Mix chopped squash, honey, salt and pepper and roast for 25-30 min (until soft). Set aside. -Melt half of butter (2 Tbsp) in a heavy saucepan over med. heat.-Add onion and soften (about five min).-Add rice; stir and toast for a couple of minutes.-Add wine and cook until almost all liquid is absorbed. Stir constantly!-Add 1 cup hot broth. Simmer until broth is almost absorbed (KEEP STIRRING!!! You don’t want any to stick to the bottom)-Add more broth, 1 cup at a time, allowing each addition to be absorbed before adding.. stirring the whole time!-You know it’s done when risotto is tender and mixture is creamy.-Take off heat and add parmesan-Stir in butternut squash and top with extra parmesan, chopped sage, salt & pepper.